Dr. John Chowning (b. 1934) is a pioneering computer musician, composer and professor who, in 1967, discovered the FM synthesis algorithm. This breakthrough in electronic music allowed for simple, yet rich timbres described as sounding "real." With this discovery, Chowning composed singular, dramatic electronic music and changed the timbre of music forever. Chowning utilized the potential of computers to synthesize sounds according to programmed instructions. The composer's use of his own FM algorithms, digital synthesis with computers and the new compositional concepts offered by a programmable musical structure combine to create some of the most original and unique electronic music ever created. The compositions on this LP were realized between 1966 and 1981 and the music on this LP, with the exception of "Stria," was originally released on CD in Germany (Wergo, 1988). The version of "Stria" included here contains a section not included on the Wergo CD. Thus, this version of "Stria" is complete. This is the first time these purely digital recordings have been released on an analog medium. The original dynamics of these groundbreaking compositions have been preserved on this LP. As a result, listeners are advised to increase volume with caution. In 1975, John Chowning founded the CCRMA -- Center For Computer Research In Music and Acoustics at Stanford University. Through Stanford, Chowning licensed his groundbreaking algorithms to Yamaha resulting in numerous new instruments including the iconic DX series of keyboards. In 1972, his composition "Turenas," which is included on this LP, was the first to create the illusion of continuous 360-degree space using four speakers. All pieces on this LP are originally quadrophonic. The illusion of moving sound sources is thus projected from the surrounding environment given by four loud-speakers on the stereo-basis. The master tape of the original CD was made directly from the computer system at CCRMA which generated and stored the sound data in digital format. No analog recording was involved at any stage of the production and editing process.

White vinyl version. Cold Spring marks a decade since the label first released Coil's landmark album Backwards, with a special 10-year anniversary vinyl reissue. After the ground-breaking release of 1990's Love's Secret Domain album, Coil were not dormant; the main project was Backwards, which was started in 1992, updated considerably between 1993 and 1995, and transferred in 1996 to New Orleans, where it was finished in the magic of the Nothing studios of Trent Reznor (Nine Inch Nails). The album saw the fruition of Jhonn Balance's recent vocal coaching, producing haunting, passionate vocals, while reaching new heights. 23 years after its initiation, these tracks have been beautifully preserved by Danny Hyde and are finally available in highest quality audio. Differing substantially from the later, remixed incarnation, "The New Backwards" (2008), Backwards contains the original versions of Coil's much-loved tracks; "A Cold Cell" and "Fire Of The Mind," which have appeared on various compilations over the years, and are now presented as originally intended. This album is the essential bridge between LSD and the later "Musick To Play In The Dark" series. It is an essential conduit, to understand the journey that was taken. 180g heavyweight vinyl in a gatefold matt-laminate sleeve with silver detail.

50th anniversary reissue! Step into the wild heart of New York's underground avant-garde jazz scene with Voyage from Jericho. Recorded in 1974, release in 1975, this landmark session finds the Charles Tyler Ensemble pushing boundaries with fearless improvisation, deep spiritual yearning, and a raw emotional fire. Joined by top-tier collaborators -- including Arthur Blythe, Earl Cross, Ronnie Boykins, and Steve Reid -- Tyler shapes a sound that fuses avant-garde intensity with soulful depth, creating a powerful celebration of freedom and expression. This is music that demands attention and rewards deep listening. Whether you're a devoted explorer of the avant-garde or a curious listener seeking something beyond the mainstream, Voyage from Jericho offers a journey both challenging and transcendent. In short: if you're ready to move past comfort zones and into the outer reaches of jazz, Voyage from Jericho is a voyage worth taking. Includes 28-page booklet.

"This first-ever vinyl reissue of saxophonist/composer Charles Tyler's Voyage from Jericho album brings his life and work into much greater detail with an exhaustive liner essay by historian Cisco Bradley, unpublished photos and a new remaster from the original tapes. Essential!" --Clifford Allen

Rosacea sounds as strange and demented as all the previous albums by this Norwegian one-man project. But it sounds right. Just like he claimed in a recent interview about his untraditional approach to writing songs: "I just make stuff until it sounds right." It sounds absolutely right in fact. As puzzling and lunatic as he may seem, yet a sense of order emanates from the idiosyncrasies featured on this album. Ghédalia Tazartès is a cursory reference. Especially on "Carmelade." However, the spectrum of sound and compositions on Rosacea manage to actually transcend the late French eccentric composer and singer. This is truly unique. Recorded and mixed by Gaute Granli. Master and lacquer cut by Frederic Alstadt. Artwork by Andreas Soma.

"On the cover: dälek: The trailblazing New Jersey hiphop duo of Will 'MC dälek' Brooks and Mike 'Mare' Manteca are preparing for the release of a new album this spring via Ipecac records. Our cover feature interview will be accompanied by a mini-feature on the history of rap's noisiest manoeuvres. By Joseph Stannard and Rob Turner. Features: O Ghettão: A DJ trio formed by DJ Danifox, DJ N***a Fox and DJ Firmenza, O Ghettão have been described by André Ferreira of Lisbon's Príncipe label as the 3 Chairs (the supergroup of Detroit house music elders) of the Portuguese batida sound. By Joe Francis. Vic Bang: The work of the Buenos Aires computer music composer and sound artist Victoria Barca has been homing in on fine acoustic details since she launched her Vic Bang alias in 2006. This year she'll release her new album with Warsaw's Mondoj label. By Daryl Worthington. Pascal Comelade: A near career spanning six disc box set is an opportunity to reflect on four decades of fringe post-minimalism and toy instrument wizardry from the French musician. By Julian Cowley. Invisible Jukebox: Daniel Blumberg: The London multi-instrumentalist, songwriter and film score composer braves The Wire's blind listening test. Tested by Claire Biddles."

A cascading piano improvisation by Xiu Xiu's Hyunhye Seo, recorded live during a Nam June Paik exhibition in Turin. On Side B, Japanese avant-garde pioneer Phew reinterprets Seo's performance into a new electronic landscape. Music as surrender, dialogue between performer, space and the present moment. 200 copies. Comes with Obi. Hyunhye Seo, a core member of Xiu Xiu, in her solo work navigates the precarious edges where composition dissolves into pure gesture. Through ecstatic piano improvisations, restless percussive attacks and an expansive use of acoustic space, she constructs layered sonic environments that move across the boundaries of noise, avant-garde jazz, ambient and contemporary classical music. Her performances reveal an unfiltered process of listening and creation -- a practice in which thinking becomes the enemy, and surrender the only viable strategy. "Continuation" captures one such surrender. Recorded live at MAO -- Museo d'Arte Orientale in Turin during the exhibition Rabbit Inhabits the Moon -- The Art of Nam June Paik in the Mirror of Time, this cascading piano improvisation unfolds as a dialogue between performer, space and the particular acoustics of a museum built to house contemplative objects. Jamie Stewart processes the sound in real time; Giuseppe Ielasi shapes the final mix. What emerges is a work of charged immediacy -- restless gestures giving way to passages of unexpected tenderness, noise and silence trading places in continuous exchange. The title is precise: this is music that refuses conclusion, that exists in a state of perpetual becoming. On Side B, "Continuous Extension" offers an unprecedented response. Phew -- the pioneering figure of Japanese avant-garde music since the late 1970s -- was invited by curators Chiara Lee and Freddie Murphy to reinterpret Seo's performance. Working with synthesizer and subtle processing, Phew distills the resonances of "Continuation" into a new electronic landscape -- waves of abstraction that echo like reflections in sound, tracing the harmonic tensions of Seo's playing into territories she herself did not visit. The accompanying booklet includes an essay by Bruno Lo Turco exploring the deep connections between improvisation and Buddhist thought, and a written reflection by Seo on her own practice of surrender and listening.

LP version. Brazilian avant-jazz vanguardists Grupo Um celebrate their 50th anniversary, sharing a second previously lost 1970s album from the vaults. Nineteen Seventy Seven (titled after the year it was recorded) is another rip-roaring instrumental fusion treasure from the band which spawned from within Hermeto Pascoal's famed mid-1970s São Paulo collective. Like their debut album Starting Point, Grupo Um's Nineteen Seventy Seven was recorded when Brazil's military dictatorship was at its most repressive. Just like Hermeto Pascoal's Viajando Com O Som (1977) and Grupo Um's previous album Starting Point (1975), both of which remained unreleased until the 21st century, Zé Eduardo asserts that the 1977 album was flatly "without any chance to be released at that time." Recorded at Rogério Duprat's Vice-Versa Studios in São Paulo, the group were under both time and space restraints. Expanding from a trio to a quintet, original Grupo Um members Lelo Nazario (keys), Zé Eduardo Nazario (drums), and Zeca Assumpção (bass) were joined by saxophonist Roberto Sion and percussionist Carlinhos Gonçalves. Carlinhos, Zé and Zeca had already played together in the group Mandala, while brothers Lelo and Zé had just finished a stint backing Hermeto Pascoal during his years in São Paulo. Lelo was deeply immersed in modular synthesizer experimentation during this period, working extensively with the ARP2600 and EMS Synthi AKS. These electroacoustic explorations formed the sonic foundation for "Mobile/Stabile," one of his first compositions to merge modular synthesis with Brazilian music, a fusion that would ripple throughout the Brazilian jazz scene. The piece premiered at the first São Paulo International Jazz Festival in 1978, performed by Grupo Um with guest trumpeter Márcio Montarroyos. The version on Nineteen Seventy Seven is the first recording of the composition. Nineteen Seventy Seven combines Afro-Brazilian rhythm, modular synthesis and a plethora of whistles, percussion and effects pedals. Grupo Um's daring music represents a manifesto of resistance during the dictatorship years, but it's one which remains just as relevant today.

The debut single by Germany's rising talent Harmon, presented on Mule Musiq. Colorful, dreamy, and highly addictive, this alternative house track is unique and evocative of early DJ Koze and Superpitcher Productions. A fresh and killer release that seamlessly absorbs a wide range of influences -- in the best possible way.

Limited black vinyl. 750 copies. Once again, Trunk Records comes through with an album of sublime 1980s new age synthwave music from an artist and library company you have never heard of. From Jonny: "My first encounter with Peter Patzer was when I was writing and researching the updated and fully expanded version of The Music Library Book, published by Fuel. The initial book -- called The Music Library, was the first ever overview of library music and the wild, unpredictable graphic art of their sleeves. It was first published in 2005 and featured about 400 sleeves and about 120 library companies over 200+ pages. The book was based on over a decade of intense library LP collecting by myself and a handful of other geeky weirdos and made for fascinating and revealing reading and looking. A few years later the price of the original book had gone bananas. But the geeky weirdos like me had all carried on voraciously consuming and collecting library music so I strongly felt the first book could easily be doubled in size with new info, new sleeves and many newly discovered lost library companies. Which is exactly what I set about doing. The Music Library expanded edition came out in 2015. You have to realize here that The Music Library book was very much a first -- until its unexpected arrival (and even the arrival of the much larger expanded edition) there was no published survey, accessible catalogue or anything about international library music. It was still an odd old world shrouded in some historical mystery -- even the internet had not really caught up. And I was still finding unusual British one-off library LPs, more unusual Italian library diversions, hidden French funky things and then I finally found Peter Patzer. From Germany. Hidden away in a very obscure music library corner. All on his own. Peter was unusual in that he was an artist and musician who made his own music and issued it all on his own library, called Crea Music, based out of Bremen in North Germany. Over a series of eight white vinyl LPs produced in the 1980s, Peter Patzer created synth heavy experiments for possible use in film, TV, video and anything else coming along. All his LPs had the same simple red, white and blue sleeve and a typed name and number. Across the eight LPs Peter goes to musical space, creates post-disco funk, travels to Vegas, goes all geological and more."

Over twelve tracks selected from BBC radio and European TV broadcasts, this LP charts the development of Blossom Toes from 1967 psyche to something darker and more powerful. This mix of idiosyncratic originals and re-interpreted cover versions includes songs not included on either of their studio albums. Comes with extensive sleeve notes that include full recording details.

After many years of fruitless praying, a true collector grail can finally grace every turntable the world over. Bright And Shining is a miraculous leftfield library classic from the genius mind of Barbara Moore. With originals almost impossible to find, you already know how crucial this beautiful reissue is. Recorded in 1981 for Sylvester Music Company, Bright And Shining is breezy, dreamy and funky in a perfectly smooth jazzy-soul-groove fashion, with Moore's patented celestial male-female vocal harmonies this time benefitting from the addition of Fender Rhodes and pumping bass lines. As one particularly enthusiastic Discogs user put it: "If Eno is responsible for Music for Airports, Moore is responsible for Music for Holidays." Indeed, this is brilliantly unique, "maximum happiness music." If you miss the sun-dappled soft-psych soul of Koushik, the heavenly vocal arrangements of the great Library Music doyenne Barbara Moore will see you just right. The gigantic title track, "Bright And Shining," gallops out the gate, all sophisticated, jazzy leisure-soul with sax and guitars backing Moore's effortless vocal swag in this relaxed, mid-tempo head-nod strut. Up next, the sunny, vibey "Fly Me High" features strolling, "unworded" vocals alongside breezy alto sax and electric guitar. The jazzy "Real Thing" is another exercise in strolling sophistication, complete with wordless vocal harmonies. The fairly self-explanatory "Voice Over Sax" sounds precisely how you would expect; a relaxed sax number with heavenly vocal support. The audio for Bright And Shining has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Great Day is one of the very best albums on the Music De Wolfe label and certainly one of the most sought-after library records, full stop. It's been sampled by such heavyweights as Madlib, LTJ Bukem, El-P and The Alchemist (among many others). Originally released in 1972, it's credited to Music De Wolfe legends Simon Haseley (real name Simon Park) and "Peter Reno" (a collaborative alias used by composers Clifford "Cliff" Twemlow and Peter Taylor). It's one of the most consistent libraries you'll ever hear, packed with heavy blaxploitation-esque drama-funk break themes. It opens with the feel-good, breezy piano beat number "Little Big John" before switching up to modern sweeping orchestral with heavy drums on the warm, deeply emotive "Summer Friend." Total highlight "Hammerhead" is as heavy as you'd want, from a track so-titled. It's a driving, imposing, orchestral funk-rock monster, famously used by The High & Mighty for their classic "Dirty Decibels" and as the backing for Beyonce's ace "Woman Like Me". Up next, "Crimson" is melodic, plaintive and moodily introspective; a soft, oboe-enhanced instrumental of delicate beauty. The expansive title track, "Great Day" is melodic and bold; a horn-fueled, mid-tempo rhythmic workout which builds to rather big end. Rounding out this first side, "Hard Crust" ups the ante with thrilling wah-wah funk-rock, a dramatic, pounding and aggressive thriller. Side B opens with the steady, stealthy crime-funk of "Highball" before segueing brilliantly into the Hammond-laced relentless flute-funk of the driving "Bora." The powerful wah-wah wonderful "Hold Back" is haunting orchestral funk-rock, sampled by Madlib, El-P, Rakim, Sean Price and The Alchemist. The cop show funk of "Silver Thrust" is fast, purposeful and persistent. The dynamic "Convoy" is a brassy, organ-fueled sports-soundtrack b-boy breaks monster. To close out this extraordinary set, the insistent "Barracuda" presents dramatic rock feels over a persistent funky flute beat. The audio for Great Day has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

Hogan, The Hawk & Dirty John Crown sounds like the soundtrack of a blaxploitation movie from the early '70s and, packed with funky fusion and smoother orchestral numbers, it is basically that. Featuring a veritable who's who of killer library break snakes, it's not hard to see how this commands over £350 on secondary markets. This beautifully presented reissue, part of Be With's fresh campaign with the legendary library label Music De Wolfe, is well overdue. Recorded for De Wolfe in 1972, Hogan, The Hawk, Dirty John Crown is a fantastic start-to-finish listen. The flute-funk of Hawkshaw and Parker's opener "The Hawk" comprises driving, fuzzy, wah-wah-drizzled bell-laced breaks with synths and basslines to murder for. Up next, Haseley's "The Happening" is a carefree, rhythmic builder with strings and horns. Hawkshaw and Parker's amazing "Main Chance" is likely the reason you're here; it's a moody, beaty proto-hip-hop banger; all rolling drums and flute-laced, organ-drenched, synth-funk breaks. The cool AF "Hogan Baby" has a soft, rounded, bluesy feel. Grant's pounding "Dirty John Crown" brilliantly conjures swirling string-swept serenity atop driving, incisive drama-funk breaks. Hawkshaw and Parker come roaring back with the murky, creeping crime-funk of "Swarf" with killer basslines underpinning slow-mo high-class flute-funk. Reg Tilsley enters the fray with the bright, snappy, carefree "Turnover." The brief "Tarantula" gets listeners back on track with the driving crime funk breaks, super clean yet brooding. Side 2 opens with the car chase swag of Haseley's dramatic, driving "Precinct". Haseley's rolling "Sidewinder Version 1" is robust and exuberant with bouncy horns before a cracking Parker-Hawkshaw one-two featuring the tense "Pressure" and the deeply soulful "Call Me", a relaxed, medium-tempo organ feature. With building piano and strings Gordon Grant's excellently titled "Scorch" is as aggressive and dramatic as you'd hope. Hawkshaw and Parker's furtive flute-funk of "Digger" precede the light, melodic and romantic themes of Tilsley's "Marianne" whilst "Sidewinder Version 2", a faster iteration of Track B2 sees Haseley close out this remarkable set in bouncy, bright fashion. The audio for Hogan, The Hawk, Dirty John Crown has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

A great name. A great cover. And, of course, outstanding library music. Soul City Orchestra's Meal Ticket houses titanic funk, mellow groove and symphonic disco-soul. Released in 1977 on Rouge, a subsidiary of the prestigious and long-established British library label Music De Wolfe, Meal Ticket was crafted by the studio band Soul City Orchestra (a pseudonym for the De Wolfe in-house composers Chris Rae and Franck McDonald). The driving instrumental funk-rock of the A Side is enhanced with strings and no little drama. However, it's undoubtedly the peerless flipside that makes this record an essential part of any collection. Head straight to highlight "Chamber Maid"; insistent, conga-driven funky rock with lashings of string-heightened drama. It's sophisticated, classical and deeply classy. The majestic, powerfully emotive "Sore Head" contains an excellent intro drum break and sultry slo-mo disco breaks throughout. It's low-key stunning. With a few melodic switch-ups, it's symphonic soul heaven and is comfortably the best and most beautifully crucial track on Side A. The breezy, Philly soul-tinged "Short Change," its intense strings reminiscent of the Salsoul Orchestra and TSOP, presents an easy-glide funk that's just irresistible. The funky, cool and slick AF "Wheeling And Dealing" is laconic flute and string-propelled sophisticated mid-tempo disco soul. It's worth the price of admission alone. The breezy, mellowed out disco-funk workout "The Jam" is a deliciously slinky and sophisticated soul strut. The crowning glory is the sweeping, sublime symphonic disco breaks of horn-infused "Soul City Drive," an absolute monster of radiant heavy soul-funk à la Barry White with great string and brass arrangement. Basically, this is essential for all groove-aficionados. The audio for Meal Ticket has been meticulously remastered by Be With regular Simon Francis, ensuring this release sounds better than ever. Cicely Balston's expert skills have made sure nothing is lost in the cut whilst the records have been pressed to the highest possible standard at Record Industry in Holland. The original, iconic sleeve has been restored as the finishing touch to this long overdue re-issue.

LP version. After decades spent shaping the sound of southern Madagascar and becoming one of the defining voices of tsapiky, Damily returns with Fanjiry, his most intimate and focused record to date. Known for electrifying village ceremonies and carrying the fever of Toliara across continents, he takes a sharp turn -- not away from trance, but deeper into its core. Recorded in just three days at Studio Black Box with analog wizard Peter Deimel, Fanjiry strips the tsapiky band down to a single guitar and a single heartbeat. Damily plays alone, yet fills the space completely -- bass, rhythm, melody, pulse, and breath merging into a dense and vibrating sound. Every riff is architecture, every harmonic a door opening onto memory, childhood landscapes, and nights where music heals, binds, and exhausts the dark. There is no nostalgia here, no museum of tradition. Fanjiry is a new frontier for tsapiky: raw, precise, suspended between earth and sky, born from craft and necessity. The title -- the last star before dawn -- captures its essence: a quiet moment before the world awakens, where a single guitar can hold an entire history and still point forward.

"Some 42 years after its initial release, Circle X's Prehistory returns to the vinyl format. New listeners to this music will discover, in addition to the roiling compulsion in its odd, dance-damaged clockwork and instinctive joining of feral and aestheticized values, a refined understanding of the width and breadth of 'post-punk' music, both in and out of its time. In and out of time, Circle X operated between 1978 and 1995, formed in Louisville, KY, but existing largely as a New York-based collective, a band who insisted on working outside the standard definitions. Arriving in New York in late '78, they found a rehearsal space and gigged around at CBGB's and elsewhere, alongside DNA and other No Wave acts of the era, recording their first single before decamping to France at the request of their new manager, Bernard Zekri. They split their time between Dijon and Paris and returned to New York in the spring of 1980, having recorded their 'untitled' EP. At this time, the art aspects of Circle X in performance were brought to the fore. Similarly, the recording of Prehistory developed as much on a conceptual basis as the shows. Circle X's music has continued to grow through each further iteration of 'the present times.' Their third and final album, an expression utterly distinct from all earlier evocations, was released on Matador in their early '90s heyday. The 'untitled' EP was reintroduced to the contemporary ear twice, via Moikai's 1996 CD version and Insolito's 2009 vinyl repress. In both instances, it was noted, as had been in '79, how little their music sounded like anything else from then or whenever the current now was. That still holds true in the present. Similarly, Prehistory was re-injected into the marketplace via Blue Chopsticks' 2008 CD edition."

interius/exterius is a striking new addition to the evolving catalog of Berlin-based composer Catherine Lamb, whose deep explorations of harmony, temporality, and collective resonance have made her a defining voice in contemporary experimental music. Developed through a close collaboration with New York's Ghost Ensemble, this long-form chamber nonet unfolds through finely calibrated tuning, deep listening, and continually shifting sonic intention. The work's title reflects its central organizing principle: tones move in "interior" and "exterior" directions, shifting between inward balance within the ensemble and outward expansion towards new harmonic possibilities. The result is a piece that is simultaneously precise and open, crystalline and fluid -- attuned to the interplay between individual agency and collective form. Scored for flute, oboe, accordion, viola, cello, four- and five-string contrabasses, harp, and hammered dulcimer, the work investigates how collective intentions or focal points allow various and sometimes unusual sonic pathways to emerge in an ensemble context. In an "interior" direction, tones balance inward, reinforcing the equilibrium of the collective, while in an "exterior" direction, tones radiate outward, inviting subtle changes in texture and a broader field of interaction. This interplay of interiority and exteriority extends beyond dynamics or articulation. interius/exterius took shape over a series of intensive workshops between composer and ensemble, supported in part by Chamber Music America's Classical Commissioning Program. The harmonic material of interius/exterius is derived entirely from the harmonic series of a theoretical 10Hz fundamental -- an inaudible frequency whose overtones define a resonant, interlocking lattice of sound. This base-10 tuning system allows every pitch to be understood in relation to its spectral position, creating a shared harmonic language among the performers. Ghost Ensemble's performance reveals the otherworldly sonorities that arise from this structure, as shifting alignments, phasing relationships, and gradual timbral transformations guide the music's unfolding. Lamb's compositional language is deeply shaped by her studies with composer James Tenney and Dhrupad musician Mani Kaul, as well as her ongoing engagement with microtonal performance practice. Her interest in musical perception and psychoacoustics positions interius/exterius as both an inquiry into the nature of harmonic space and a lived experience of collective attunement. Ghost Ensemble -- known themselves for championing the work of Pauline Oliveros -- are perhaps, then, ideal collaborators, bringing both profound sensitivity and intuitive fluency to Lamb's music. With interius/exterius, Lamb and Ghost Ensemble have achieved a collaborative work of rare clarity and conceptual depth -- simultaneously precise and open, crystalline and fluid, exquisitely attuned to the interplay between individual agency and collective form.

2026 repress. Released exclusively in Germany in March 1966, Black Monk Time by The Monks has become a cult classic -- praised as a groundbreaking forerunner to punk and krautrock. From the explosive opener "Monk Time" to the fierce "Complication," Black Monk Time rejected flower power for something more urgent -- anger, humor, and innovation developing a confrontational, rhythm heavy sound. Though the album was overlooked at the time, its bold sound and sharp lyrics have earned it lasting influence and critical acclaim. The Monks were five American G.I.s stationed near Heidelberg, West Germany. Originally performing as a typical beat group under the name the 5 Torquays, they evolved into something far more radical. After discovering guitar feedback by accident and embracing a raw, percussive approach, they caught the attention of two German ad men -- Walther Niemann and Karl Remy -- who became their managers and helped reinvent their identity. Dressed in monks' robes with tonsured hair and noose neckties, the band developed a confrontational, rhythm heavy sound. Their sole studio album, produced by Jimmy Bowien and recorded in Cologne in late 1965, defied musical norms. At the time, Polydor Records deemed the music too radical for American audiences, delaying its U.S. release. Despite its initial commercial failure, the album is now seen as a pivotal moment in rock history -- loud, strange, and unapologetically ahead of its time. The Monks' story is as unlikely as their sound: five ex-soldiers and two ad executives creating one of the most daring records of the '60s. The band never sparked the revolution they hinted at, but decades later, Black Monk Time still resonates. This is your chance to experience the album that dared to be different -- don't miss it. Remastered sound from the tapes, pressed on 180g vinyl.

LP version. Green vinyl. Whitelands' second album Sunlight Echoes builds on their elemental debut with a more expansive sound that takes them out of the shoegaze shadows to somewhere bigger, better and brighter. Produced by long-time collaborator Ian Flynn and mixed by double Grammy Award-winner Eduardo De La Paz (New Order, The Horrors, The Charlatans, The KVB, Drug Store Romeos), there are soaring string arrangements (by Iskra Strings) and lush guest vocals from labelmate Emma Anderson. With maturity comes a new-found confidence, so not only are there stunning melodies everywhere, but Etienne's vocals are front and center throughout. The first half of the album has an almost Britpop breeziness, that belies the serious subject matter that inspired the songs, while the second half gets heavier, in all senses, with added grit and gravitas. Sunlight Echoes is a poetic, melodic statement of intent from this formidable band. Whitelands have fought back and triumphed in the face of adversity.

Double LP version. Crowned Eagle is the powerful new album from Alpha Steppa and long-time collaborator Nai-Jah. Blending ten potent vocal tracks with ten heavyweight dubs, this double-sided journey is inspired by Nai-Jah's Nigerian heritage: an exploration of ancestral wisdom, modern struggle and spiritual resilience. Musically, the album bridges old and new, weaving together roots reggae, dub, afrobeat and beyond, all through the unmistakable lens of Alpha Steppa's signature style: deep, spacious and defiantly conscious. Featuring Pupajim and Ras Tinny.

Alternate art version. On a Sunday in the early '70s in South LA one could easily find themselves experiencing the Pan Afrikan Peoples Arkestra doing what they do for the community, performing incredible music. Live at Widney High December 26th, 1971 is a previously unreleased PAPA recording. It finds director Horace Tapscott conducting the band at Widney Career Preparatory and Transition Center, a special-education magnet high school in Los Angeles. The band played shows here between 1970 and '72, often sharing the bill with contemporaries John Carter and Bobby Bradford's group, and at one point the Sun-Ra Arkestra. These weekend shows were free and meant for the surrounding Black community. On this date the PAPA performed a range of compositions from the Ark's expansive songbook, including arrangements of tunes by Pharoah Sanders and John Coltrane. The album's first single, Tapscott's arrangement of Coltrane's "Equinox," is one of many Coltrane compositions the Arkestra performed, as the most forward-thinking jazz player of the time was a consistent inspiration for the Ark. It's second single, "The Creator Has A Master Plan" demonstrates Tapscott's simplicity along with the band's fiery pace and feeling. The track list is completed by traditional spiritual "Motherless Child," and a medley of two compositions by Herbert Baker, one of the Arkestra's young pianists who passed in a car accident at age 17; "Little A's Chant," with lyrics written and sang by Linda Hill, and the hypnotic "Flight 17".

Wildstyle House is a new compilation series where Toy Tonics invites producers and DJs that have a very special, funky, unique sound to make one new track. The compilation should show the variability and diversity of house and disco TODAY. Like the wild music mix you can hear at the Toy Tonics events and the way Toy Tonics DJs combine many different styles of "4 to the floor" music into one new soulful, multi-style, and warm-sounding blended "genre." It's about the groove, about a new soul sound, the human feel, the organic and Y2K-inspired dance music that is growing and appeals to a new generation of dance music lovers. This first part of the compilation includes unreleased music by: Afro-funk and salsa-house producer talents Elado, Musta, and Alma Negra. Garage house maestros Melon Bomb and Italian musician Daniel Monaco (known for his New Wave disco and proto-house releases on Rush Hour and his work for Antal). Marla Kether, the London bass player and DJ, who is known for her work with Little Simz, Oscar Jerome, and Loyle Carner, and has now started to release her own tracks. Argentinian singer, musician, and DJ Alot, combining proto-house vibes with Spanish rap. Funk house producer and edit maestro Paul Older, who is starting to become one of the key names of the new soul house scene (supported by DJs like Folamour, David Penn, Seth Troxler, Kirollus, Breakbot). Toy Tonics' own Gee Lane, Kapote, and Arpy Brown also contributed new tracks.

For the first time, all the 1978 recording sessions of Lino Capra Vaccina's legendary Antico Adagio -- including "Frammenti da Antico Adagio" and "Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio" -- collected in one definitive deluxe edition. Minimalism, and so much more. Sheets of resonance, stunning harmonic interplay, intricate rhythms rising as one. Sidelong works of pulsing, hypnotic, ritualistic drone built from vibraphones, marimbas, gongs, bells, and cymbals, threaded by the sustained vocal tones of Juri Camisasca and Dana Matus. A trance-inducing, meditative, cosmic world of sonic interplay -- the world beyond, joined with that which lays within. This music moves between modal fascinations, ritual evocations, and states of hypnotic trance, evoking the acoustic environment of Tibetan and Zen Buddhist ceremonies and the temporal structures of Noh theatre, from which Vaccina took the name of his original label, Nō. Now, fittingly, this complete collection appears on Ubi Kū, the label of the Italian Buddhist Union. Lino Vaccina (1953) first gained note as a member of Aktuala, creating a hybrid of rock, avant-garde, and ancient music while incorporating sonic traditions from across the globe. After leaving in 1974, he studied at Milano's Civica Scuola di Musica, collaborating with Franco Battiato and Juri Camisasca, and forming Telaio Magnetico in 1975. In 1978 he self-released Antico Adagio in a tiny edition and wouldn't be heard from again until 1992. From 1979 to 1985 he was percussionist with the Orchestra of Teatro alla Scala under maestros such as Abbado and Ozawa. His career has been marked by an incredibly high bar of quality and a tragically slim recorded output. "Frammenti da Antico Adagio" and "Echi Armonici da Antico Adagio" contain material from the original sessions, restored and issued by Die Schachtel in 2014 and 2017. The new masters, prepared by Giuseppe Ielasi, are based on those restorations and the original material. The package includes previously unpublished photographs from the May 1978 sessions and liner notes by Mauro Radice in Italian, English, and French. Limited edition of 250 numbered copies. Deluxe 3LP box, bound in linen and embossed, featuring a large 12-page booklet with previously unseen photographs from the 1978 recording sessions, and a large four-page booklet with the original liner notes. The box graphics reproduce the original cover drawing by Dana Matus, while the three individual LP sleeves feature 19th-century Japanese naturalist paintings chosen by Vaccina himself.

WRWTFWW Records presents a limited-edition vinyl release of the remarkable PONYBOI (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) by Chilean-born composer, arranger, music producer, and multi-instrumentalist Cristobal "Cristo" Tapia de Veer (The White Lotus, Utopia, Smile, Black Mirror, and many more). This collector's edition presents Tapia de Veer's complete original score for the critically acclaimed feature film PONYBOI -- a bold, genre-defying neo-noir tale directed by Esteban Arango and starring filmmaker, actor, screenwriter, model, and intersex rights activist River Gallo who also wrote the movie. The soundtrack arrives as a deluxe audiophile vinyl LP, housed in a luxurious 350gsm gold cardboard sleeve, cut with utmost precision by Sidney Claire Meyer at the legendary Emil Berliner Studios, home to Deutsche Grammophon's world-renowned legacy. Vivid, seductive, gritty, dreamy, tender, and sometimes heart-pounding in its tension, the PONYBOI soundtrack is a sinuous creature of its own -- an emotional, atmospheric, and deeply textural listening experience. Tapia de Veer fuses shimmering electronics with haunting melodies, raw rhythms, shadowy ambience, and surges of romantic intensity, perfectly embodying the film's world of danger, desire, identity, and survival on a single wild New Jersey night. It's daring, intimate, stylishly noir, and unmistakably Cristo: music that refuses boundaries and speaks directly to the pulse. The LP showcases Cristobal Tapia de Veer's uncanny ability to blend experimental sound design with narrative emotion -- a talent that has earned him global acclaim and numerous awards, including four Primetime Emmy Awards for The White Lotus. This new WRWTFWW edition celebrates his artistry in its purest form: warm, rich, analog, and physically stunning. A must for soundtrack fanatics, ambient and experimental music lovers, and rare memorabilia collectors.

2026 repress! Be With Records present a reissue of DJ Quik's Rhythm-Al-Ism, originally released in 1998. DJ Quik is a giant of West Coast hip-hop. With his fourth album Rhythm-Al-Ism he created his masterpiece, a perfect hip-hop album. A preternaturally gifted producer/rapper, DJ Quik has produced scores of LA gangsta rap classics. He's released platinum and gold records of his own, as well as helped craft them for the likes of Tupac, Snoop Dogg, and Dr Dre. Quik has always been quirkier and more interesting than his gangsta rap peers, both musically and lyrically. An old-school funk producer at heart, he's also incredibly nice on the mic. His raps often deal in boasts, jokes and good times but also cover his beefs, his trials and his trauma. Partying and pain, all mixed up. DJing and producing hype beat tapes from age 14, Quik's tracks blended the languid funk and rubbery synths of Zapp and George Clinton with a gangsta aesthetic, creating a more danceable foil to Compton's more typical nihilistic hedonism. Ultimately, his records sound custom engineered to drift out over sun-soaked barbecues. Released in 1998 on Profile, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the closest Quik ever got to making a commercial splash. "You'z A Ganxta" and "Hand in Hand" made radio waves across the country and the less radio-friendly tracks like "Medley For A 'V'" were bumping out of car stereos. Combining his soulful, jazzy P-Funk/G-Funk beats with his effortlessly smooth flow, Rhythm-Al-Ism was the quintessential West Coast Party. Squelchy synths, bouncy bass, monstrously knocking drums and freaky keys - this is peaking acidic party-rap, straight out the gate. Dripping with wit and good humor. A real swing to the vibe. Mastered for vinyl by Simon Francis, cut by Pete Norman and pressed at Record Industry. Original picture sleeve and insert.

Limited 2026 restock, last copies. 2LP Silk Screen Sleeve plus insert. Before Guaracha UFO propelled Meridian Brothers onto the international stage, Eblis Álvarez was already shaping his singular sonic universe in the shadows. Released only on CD in between 2009 and 2012 via local label La Distritofónica, Meridian Brothers VI and VII never had wide distribution or media exposure. Yet, these albums represent a crucial phase in the band's evolution, capturing the energy of Bogotá's experimental cumbia scene at the time. On VI, Álvarez crafts a hallucinatory patchwork of cumbia and vallenato, using his guitar as the guiding thread before layering other instruments on top. These two albums laid the foundation for the radical fusion and irreverent spirit that would later define Meridian Brothers. Now reissued on vinyl for the first time, these historic recordings offer a raw and fascinating glimpse into the origins of one of Latin America's most forward-thinking musical projects.

2026 repress. Double LP version with insert. In the early '80s in France, the happy-go-lucky gathered the nectar of each and every new release. Believing in a bright future for videotex and loosened up by budding pirate radio stations, the new generation dreamt of dancefloors and holiday clubs. French Boogie, which preserves the spirit of these years of boodle and bunkum, is the ideal soundtrack to their dreams. What has come to be called "French boogie" is a form of synthetic funk reflecting the spirit of those days when everything seemed possible. In popular clubs such as La Main Bleue in Montreuil or L'Echappatoire in Clichy-sous-Bois -- where Micky Milan could be seen behind the decks -- an enthusiastic audience discovered this post-disco sonic wave, influenced as much by French pop as by The Sugarhill Gang or Kurtis Blow. In this myriad of new musicians, the very young François Feldman and Phil Barney pioneered a fresh musical hybrid. Other well-known artists like Gérard Blanc from Martin Circus (Attaché Case), Richard de Bordeaux (Ich), and Jean-Pierre Massiera (Anisette, Pirate Club, Mandrake, Groupe Scratch Man) added an eccentric touch. Singers like Agathe (the author of "La Fourmi" (included here) and of the hit song "Je ne veux pas rentrer chez moi seule") were far more than just window dressing, giving an ironic and subversive twist to this rather harmless genre. But by 1984, French boogie was already breathless, and merged with other genres; on the one hand, rap and breakdance adapted its flow to a more urban world, especially with Dee Nasty's broadcasts on Radio Nova, and on the other, Italo, new beat, and house began to rule dancefloors. Squeezed between the age of disco and that of modern electronic music, French boogie was a transitional phase, but it remains an amazingly refreshing testimony to the intermingling of pop and underground cultures. The genre was hastily categorized as anecdotal in spite of its pioneering synthetic groove and matchless basslines. An attentive ear will discover the poetry of the ephemeral beyond the eccentricities of the genre, as well as a certain unexpected avant-gardism. At the origin of major music trends, always cheerful and catchy, French boogie is what you need to party. Includes tracks from 1980-1985 by Interview, Krootchey, Gérard Vincent, Style, Pierre Edouard, Casino, Bianca, Trigo & Friends, Hugues Hamilton, Pascal Davoz, Anisette, Pilou, Henriette Coulouvrat, New Paradise, Ich, Attaché Case, and Yannick Chevalier.

Double LP version. "My Days of 58 is the eighth Bill Callahan album, his first since 2022. The twelve tunes here open uncanny depths of expression as Bill continues to blaze one of the most original songwriting-and-performance trails out there. With My Days of 58, he applies the living, breathing energies of his live shows to the studio process, sharpening his slice-of-life portraiture to cut deeper than ever before. The core musicians featured on My Days of 58 is the group that toured for 2022's REALITY: guitarist Matt Kinsey, saxophonist Dustin Laurenzi and drummer Jim White, whose synergy was evident in 2024's live Resuscitate!. This showed Bill, as he puts it, 'that they could handle anything I threw at them,' adding: 'Improv/unpredictability/the unknown is the thing that keeps me motivated to keep making music. It's all about listening to yourself and others. A lot of the best parts of a recording are the mistakes -- making them into strengths, using them as springboards into something human.' With this in mind, Bill prepared the songs with each player separately. Taking a note from songwriter, fan and friend Jerry DeCicca, he recorded the basic tracks for all but one song in a duo with Jim White. Meanwhile, he rehearsed with Matt, guitar to guitar, while asking Dustin to make horn charts for a few songs. Bill: 'I usually just sing a melody to a horn player or let them try a few takes and go from there. This time I thought, why not get some of the record charted out. There's always room for spontaneity on top of that. And we did indeed throw some off the cuff stuff on top of the charted horns in a couple cases where they weren't fully doing what I wanted. With this record I kept thinking of it as a 'living room record.' I'm not talking about fidelity at all here. Living room attitude. Living room vibe. Not too loud, not otherworldly. I asked for the horns to be relaxed like someone on the couch playing, not a blast from heaven or hell.' For more spontaneity and human color, Bill called up several other players: Richard Bowden on fiddle, whom he'd seen playing with Terry Allen and loved; pianist Pat Thrasher; bassist Chris Vreeland; and trombonist Mike St. Clair."

Death in Vegas returns with a new 12" featuring two live tracks, both recorded at EartH Theatre in London. On the A side is "COUM," a laconic, sexy, dark wave track born out of a recording session for Black Acid, Richard Fearless' New York psyche project, at Keyclub recording studio in Michigan. On the reverse, Death in Vegas summon the dead with a stunning ambient version of "Lightning Bolt," another song off Trans-Love Energies, and one that catches Death in Vegas at their most fragile.

Mikkel Metal makes a welcome return to Echocord with his new Rebuild EP, accompanying remixes from Luke Hess and Frenk Dublin. Copenhagen's Mikkel Metal is a pioneering figure in dub-techno and minimal house, known for his atmospheric soundscapes and textured production. Mikkel Metal has cemented his place as one of Denmark's most distinctive electronic artists. Here he continues to display this further diving into new sonic realms.

An Egyptian guy named Raxon rolls through, flexing his muscles like he's got something to prove. Get those legs moving, stop the distraction, Shake to the beat -- here's the sound of Raxon.

The debut release on Mule Musiq by Das Spezial. Das Spezial is a bold collective of artists crafting genre-defying music that challenges norms and reshapes the UK independent music scene. A super-killer track that feels as if Isolée and Pepe Bradock were blended together and then remixed by Laurent Garnier himself. The Henrik Schwarz remix, pitched down, dubby, atmospheric, and deep, is a floor-killer that will be played across the boundaries of house and techno.

"The stories of great high school funk bands are, thanks to an abundance of reissues, commonplace. The tales of great high school soul-bands are still rare. A ballad or two on the random Douglass High School Stage Band album or Timeless Legend's mesmerizing entry on Columbus's 1972 1st Annual Inner City Talent Expo not withstanding, high school bands rarely struck into the realm of 'grown folks' music. Enter The Equatics and their brooding masterpiece Doin' It!!!! If this is categorized as a 'funk,' it holds its own. But it was as a soul band, one as inspired by the melancholic musings of Bill Withers as the psychedelic-pop of the self-proclaimed 'Black Moses,' Issac Hayes -- that the Equatics shone. These young souls offered world-weary, beat-heavy ballads that stand on par with any of the great independent organizations of the early 1970s. That a group of teenagers could offer such an angst-ridden plea as that of Leo Davis's 'Merry Go Round' not only transcends the limitations that came from the band's average age (seventeen, at the time of the album's recording), but also the barriers the stood in front of this group of small-city hopefuls This official reissue was licensed by the Equatics' bandleader, bass player Benjamin Crawford."

Optimo Music presents Natural Magic's first album in 10 years. Natural Magic's II is a west coast road trip soundtrack for the fading summer. Taking inspiration from the majesty and myths of their home in the Pacific Northwest, the seven-track album is culled from the late night, dimly lit, live sessions of Mike McKinnon on keys/drums and Matthew Quiet on bass. Overdubs of guitar, synths and percussion followed. All this from the same space they throw their legendary limited-edition parties -- all-night free experimentation celebrations in their own right. The album art work is handmade flower pigments, opium poppy pollen ink and wood-scrap charcoal by their friend and collaborator Pith Cocomici. Roll the widows down, tilt the seat back and turn it up. Gas, grass or black mass -- there's magic in the hills. Includes insert.

The Village presnts Devin Daniel's sophomore release with the label, Grandiose. A modern jazz-epic composed entirely of original tunes composed by Devin, and performed by quartet of young west coast all-stars: Logan Kane on bass, Myles Martin on drums, and Javier Santiago on keys. Logan was present on Devin's first excursion with The Village, Trio Expeditions. Myles is a frequent collaborator and a staple in premiere LA rhythm sections. Javier and Devin met while attending the Herbie Hancock Institute at UCLA. Right after graduating from the institute, Devin toured with Herbie Hancock and found himself to be the youngest player on legendary stages including the Hollywood Bowl and Walt Disney Hall. Together, the quartet explores grooves, odd-time signatures, post-bop blues, and synthy ambient textures, all pushing each other's boundaries with a sense of freedom and urgency. "Particle" features a Miguel Atwood-Ferguson arrangement, performed by a string-quartet, adding a unique chamber influence. "Nightmare Kitten" contrasts to a Ta brooding melody with dissonant chords over a slow, deliberate groove. Other highlights include the electric energy of "Blink," the breezy pocket in "Contrivance," and extended meditations in "Mind 1" and "Mind 2." Here is the quintessential young Devin Daniels record, tight yet grand in scale, his unique talents on full display from start to finish